Kotaku East Archives - Page 45 of 501

Hideo Kojima Explains How Spider-Man Is Similar To Japanese Superheroes

Out of all American superheroes, there is one that many in Japan seem to like best: Spider-Man. But why? In a recent interview, Hideo Kojima explains how Spider-Man is like Japanese heroes, which might explain the character’s appeal to local audiences. How better to explain this than a man whose Twitter profile says his body…

By Brian Ashcraft Published July 5, 2019

Kotaku East

K-Pop Pick Of The Day: Love Me

I absolutely love the phrasing in the chorus for Punch’s Love Me. It’s playful, melodic, and somehow more than a tinge of gothic at the same time? Whatever, can’t explain it, love it anyway. The opening piano chords are also a highlight; overall, Love Me boasts a high level of polish and completion for a…

By Seung Park Published July 3, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

The New Sailor Moon Anime Movie Looks To Please Fans

If you like the way the original Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon R anime looked, then you’ll probably dig Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie As Kai-You reports, Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi is overseeing the upcoming movie, while Kazuko Tadano, who was the character designer for the anime’s first two seasons, is returning as character…

By Brian Ashcraft Published July 1, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

Attack On Titan‘s Final Season Is Coming In Fall 2020

The final season of the Attack on Titan anime will premiere in fall 2020. A short teaser announcing the news has been released. In it, Mikasa is heard saying, “Eren, please, come back.” Attack on Titan debuted as a manga back in 2009. The first season of its anime adaptation premiered in April 2013. Next year…

By Brian Ashcraft Published July 1, 2019

Kotaku East

How to Draw Detailed Buildings

Artist Thomas Romain is one of the few foreigners working in the anime industry in Japan. He’s done art direction on Symphogear and recently designed the mecha for Space Dandy. Today, he’s going to give us building drawing tips. Thanks, Thomas! Via his Twitter page (follow here, if you like), Romain was kind enough to…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 28, 2019

Kotaku East

K-Pop Pick Of The Day: Run Devil Run

For some idol groups, their eventual turn to mature concepts happens somewhat gradually, like A Pink or GFriend. On the other side of the spectrum, there’s Girls’ Generation with Run Devil Run Coming hot on the heels of Oh!, 2010’s Run Devil Run was the aural equivalent of whiplash after that saccharine marshmallow of a…

By Seung Park Published June 28, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

Life In An Iconic Tokyo Building

This is Nakagin Capsule Tower. Built in 1972, it was designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and a prime example of the Japanese architectural movement known as Metabolism, in which the concept was to design buildings that are organic and not static, making them reminiscent of living beings. The Nakagin Capsule Tower consists of a series…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 27, 2019

Kotaku East

K-Pop Pick Of The Day: Uh-Oh

(G)I-DLE, the winners of the ignominious Worst Group Name Ever Award, is back with Uh-Oh, and it’s a total 90’s nostalgia trip. From the record scratches to the percussion beat to the choreography, Uh-Oh is a love song to that decade when we as a collective society determined that, when it came to highlights, the…

By Seung Park Published June 27, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

People In Japan Don’t Seem Thrilled With Kim Kardashian West’s Kimono Underwear [Update]

Kim Kardashian West has not only launched a line of shapewear called “Kimono,” but has also reportedly filed a trademark for it in the US. Folks in Japan don’t exactly seem thrilled. Update: July 3 – 5:00 am: Kim Kardashian West has decided to launch her shapewear under a new name. Original story continues below.…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 26, 2019

Kotaku East

K-Pop Pick Of The Day: Pink Magic

By this point in my life, most of the K-Pop groups I used to religiously follow are either radio silent, a shadow of their former popularity, or have disbanded altogether. So it always comes as a pleasant surprise when I hear news of a long-awaited comeback from one of the previous generation’s greats. During Super…

By Seung Park Published June 26, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

Tourists In Kyoto Are Making Geishas’ Lives Difficult

If you are visiting Kyoto, you probably want to take lots and lots of photos. But when you do, there are some things to keep in mind, especially when you see geisha. Recently, the influx of tourists has put a strain on Kyoto. Hopefully, these are growing pains, and the city will develop better infrastructure…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 25, 2019

Kotaku East

K-Pop Pick Of The Day: Line 1

My birthday is coming up. Pardon me if this week is melancholic. It’s just my mood at the moment. With some of my very first memories taking place in Seoul (I only moved to the States in the first grade), I have a lot of good feelings tied to its subway. My grandfather would take…

By Seung Park Published June 25, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

In The Pokémon Anime, Get Ready For Ash’s Crushing Defeat

In the Pokémon Sun & Moon anime, the Alola League is getting underway. There is rampant speculation that this time, Ash is going to win. But don’t get your hopes up. It’s Ash after all. As teased in the most recent episode, the Alola League champ gets to battle the Masked Royal: The theory is…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 24, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

Iconic Anime Characters Made Realistic And Freaky-Looking

Sazae-san is the longest-running animated TV show in the world. Debuting in 1969, the anime is iconic in its native Japan. People have grown up with the characters, and now they get to see them all real and creepy-like. This is what the characters in Sazae-san usually look like. The main character is Sazae, who…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 21, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

It’s Hard For Japan To Change Its Escalator Manners

One of my first memories of moving to Japan in 2001 was the surprise at seeing how everyone lined up on one side of the escalator, leaving an open path for people in a rush. How courteous, I thought. But now, there are campaigns to change the country’s long-standing escalator manners. The tradition is so…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 20, 2019

Kotaku East

K-Pop Pick Of The Day: Zimzalabim

Red Velvet, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists of all time, just released their newest title track, Zimzalabim. And it’s… hmm. Part of the reason why I’m so struggling to encapsulate my feelings for Zimzalabim is, I think, because the song is quite literally all over the place. It kind of reminds…

By Seung Park Published June 20, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

At Tokyo’s Ninja Bar, Drink Beer And Throw Shuriken

On July 1, the Ninja Cafe and Bar will open in Tokyo’s Asakusa. You can eat, drink, dress up like a ninja and throw shuriken. Food includes curry and rice, pasta, udon and more. Drinks include draft beer, whisky and soda, coffee and tea. The cafe is aimed at tourists who hope to get a…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 19, 2019

Kotaku East

K-Pop Pick Of The Day: Step By Step

It’s been awhile since we’ve featured a classic girl group pop ballad, in the veins of Gfriend’s Me Gustas Tu or A Pink’s No No No. Oh My Girl’s Step By Step is one of the better examples of late. Step By Step is one of the B-sides from Oh My Girl’s 2016 repackage album,…

By Seung Park Published June 19, 2019

Kotaku EastJapan

Perhaps The Best Bread Art In Japan

We’ve previously seen made-in-Japan latte art and banana art. Both are great. Now let’s marvel at the art bread of Twitter user Izuyo. All the coloring is done with completely natural ingredients, Izuyo writes. Obviously, the fact that the bread will expand and rise when baking must be taken into account. Amazing! Have a look…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 18, 2019

Kotaku EastChina

Chinese Resident Evil Fans Think This Biotech Company’s Logo Looks Familiar [Update]

In Resident Evil, the Umbrella Corporation is an evil biotechnology and pharmaceutical conglomerate. Shanghai Ruilan Bao Hu San Biotech Limited is also in biotechnology and, as Chinese Resident Evil fans point out, has a similar logo. Update: January 29, 2020 – 2:20 am EST: The Chinese Weibo post (below) mentions that this was for fun.…

By Brian Ashcraft Published June 18, 2019